Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,35

can’t read your mind, but from that look, I wish to hell I could,” he confessed in a deep sexy voice that did nothing but encourage the growing pressure in my lower stomach.

Sapphire came back out peeking around the corner. “Hey, Michelle wants to go over the weekly meal plan before Jimmy leaves. Sorry, but he’s getting cranky.”

“It’s okay. I need to talk to him anyway.”

“Is everything okay?” Sage asked like she could sense I was on edge.

I looked towards Tarron and then back to Sage. “I’ll explain it later.”

She got a far off look in her eyes and frowned. “You’re going to sell the café?”

“We’ll talk about it later,” I said harshly. I wasn’t about to discuss my financial issues in front of Tarron. I didn’t care if he was supposed to be my mate, I still didn’t know him.

“You really are a witch,” Tarron said sounding curious as he watched her.

“I am not!” she vehemently insisted.

“It’s not a bad thing, Sage. Witch is just a shifter term for special, powerful. I’m guessing you’re a seer.”

“A what?” I asked.

“A seer. She can see things in the future, you know, like me coming.”

We always knew Sage was different but had no information about what that was or what it meant so we kept it hidden. I still couldn’t believe she had even mentioned it so openly with him.

“What do you know about this?” I asked him suddenly excited at the idea of finding some answers that I never dreamed we could have.

“I don’t know a lot about it, I’m afraid. I can check the archives for you if you are concerned.”

“There are others like me?” Sage asked.

Tarron nodded. “Of course. My Pack Mother is the only witch I truly know, but I’ve crossed paths with others and heard the stories of even more. It’s rare, special, but not unheard of.”

“Why do you have a Pack Mother? Foxes don’t live in packs,” Sage asked.

He sighed. “I guess you could say I’ve been adopted into a wolf pack.”

I gasped. “You live with wolves? But they’re brutal and dangerous.”

He gave me a comical look. “You met Nonna briefly this morning, the lady I’m sitting with, right?”

“Sure. She’s your grandmother, right? She was sweet and maybe a little sassy,” I said smiling fondly at the memory of her discreetly kicking him under the table before scolding him over something. I couldn’t hear what, but I might have been watching him more than I wanted to admit.

He grinned and nodded. “That’s being polite. She’s a pistol for sure. She’s also completely harmless, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Of course.”

“She’s a wolf, not my biological grandmother. She adopted me. She’s family. She’s not brutal or dangerous, well, most of the time,” he said with an affectionate snort. “She’s also a wolf.”

“Really? Can I meet her? I’ve never met a wolf before,” Sage gushed.

“Sure.”

“Susan,” Sapphire yelled. I had forgotten she was even there.

“Coming,” I said.

“I’m going to meet Nonna,” Sage announced and then left us.

Sapphire looked exasperated but followed her into the café.

Suddenly I was very alone with Tarron and I was certain I’d never felt so vulnerable in all my life.

“Look, I didn’t come here expecting this. I’m a bit confused and overwhelmed too. I don’t know what you’re going through, but I do know that I would move heaven and Earth to fix it if you let me. I never dreamed in a million years I’d find my true mate. I didn’t even think I wanted to, but here you are. It’s more powerful than I thought it would be.”

I nodded. That was exactly how I was feeling too.

“I really need to kiss you right now,” he said.

I should have been shocked. I should have told him it was a ridiculous thought, but my brain was in a fog as he stepped closer and pulled me into his arms.

He hesitated, searching my eyes for permission first. I gave the slightest nod.

He closed the gap between us. His lips were warm against mine and started a tingling sensation that rippled through my body all the way to my toes.

There was a low guttural growl that I wasn’t sure came from him or me and he deepened the kiss sweeping his tongue across my lips as they parted on their own accord. The foreign intrusion of his tongue tangling with mine elicited a small needy groan from me.

My hands fisted into his hair and I kissed him back hard. My head was swimming and the thought that we were basically